A recent report by Amarach Consulting, commissioned by Telework Ireland, the Dublin Transportation Office and Telecom Eireann, found that increased telecommuting will not have a major impact on traffic levels in and around the capital.

But if it is fostered and nurtured through policy initiatives and cultural reinforcement from Government and the business community, it can have a small but significant impact on the demand for travel.

The survey found that telecommuting had the greatest potential to reduce commuting levels in the case of train and DART commuters.

The next most significant impact would be on car commuters while the least impact would be on those travelling to and from work by bus.

The study found that increases in the numbers working from home had the potential to reduce the numbers getting to and from work by DART or train by 2.1 per cent by 2006, rising to 5.3 per cent by 2016.

The numbers using their cars for the daily trip would fall by 0.6 per cent by 2006 and by 1.3 per cent 10 years later while bus trips would be reduced by 0.5 per cent by 2006 and by 0.9 per cent by 2016.

"Although small in absolute percentages, the combined effect is still significant and worth pursuing," the report says.